A rack and pinion steering gear has a housing containing a rack and a pinion. The rack has a longitudinally extending row of rack teeth in meshing engagement with helical gear teeth on the pinion. The opposite ends of the rack project outward from the housing, and are connected with a steering linkage and a corresponding pair of steerable vehicle wheels. The pinion is connected with the vehicle steering wheel by an input shaft and a torsion bar. When a steering maneuver is being performed, the pinion rotates, and the rack moves longitudinally. The housing also contains a spring-loaded rack guide which presses the rack against the pinion to maintain the rack teeth in meshing engagement with the gear teeth on the pinion.